ley which that moneth commonly yeelded, was antiently called gerst.'

Remarkable Days

In SEPTEMBER 1819.

1.-SAINT GILES.

GILES, or Ægidius, was born at Athens, but, after he had disposed of his patrimony in charitable uses, came to France in the year 715. He lived two years with Cæsarius, Bishop of Arles, and afterwards retired into solitude.

*1. 1729.-SIR RICHARD STEELE died.

To him we owe the origin of that most useful and entertaining branch of literature, Periodical Publications. His Tatler,' the first number of which appeared April 12, 1709, was the parent not only of the Spectator and Guardian, but of all those other numerous and excellent works upon the same plan, which so much improved the taste and morals of that and succeeding generations. To Sir Richard Steele, also, we have great obligations as a dramatic writer. His Conscious Lovers, divested of its indelicacy, is one of the most interesting and amusing comedies in the English language.

2.-LONDON BURNT.

The fire of London broke out on Sunday morning, September 2d, 1666, O.S.; and being impelled by strong winds, raged with irresistible fury nearly four days and nights; nor was it entirely mastered till the fifth morning after it began. This most destructive conflagration commenced at the house of one Farryner, a baker, in Pudding-lane, near [New] Fish-street Hill, and within ten houses of Thames-street, into which it spread in a few hours; nearly the whole of the contiguous buildings being of timber, lath, and plaster, and the whole neighbourhood presenting little else than closely confined passages and narrow alleys. The fire quickly spread, and was not to be

conquered by any human means. For an interesting account of the fire, written by an eye-witness, see T. T. for 1816, p. 249-258.

7.-SAINT EUNERCHUS.

Eunerchus, or Evortius, was Bishop of Orleans, and present at the council of Valentia, A.D. 375. The circumstances of his election to this see were considered as miraculous, and principally ascribed to a dove, which alighted upon his head in consequence of the prayers of the electors.

8.-NATIVITY OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

A concert of angels having being heard in the air to solemnize this important event, the festival was appointed by Pope Servius about the year 695, Innocent IV honoured this feast with an octave in 1244, and Gregory XI, about the year 1370, with a vigil.

*8. 1656.-BISHOP HALL died, æt. 82,

A prelate, who, being cast upon the evil days of Charles I, suffered much from the persecutions of the rebellious parliament. Some notion of their proceedings, upon the passing of the ordinance for sequestering notorious delinquents,' in April 1643, he being then Bishop of Norwich, may be formed from his own brief account.

The sequestrators sent certain men appointed by them (whereof one had been burned in the hand) to appraise all the goods that were in my house; which they accordingly executed with all diligent severity, not leaving so much as a dozen of trenchers, or my children's pictures out of their curious inventory: yea, they would have apprized our very wearing-apparel, had not some of them declared their opinion to the contrary. These goods, both library and household stuff of all kinds, were appointed to be exposed to public sale; but, in the meantime, Mrs. Goodwin, a religious good gentlewoman, whom yet we had never known nor seen, being moved with compassion, very kindly offered to lay down to the sequestrators

the whole sum at which the goods were valued, and was pleased to leave them in our hands, for our use, till we might be able to re-purchase them. As for the books, several stationers looked on them, but were not forward to buy. At last, Mr. Cooke, a worthy divine of this diocese, gave bond to the sequestrators, to pay them the whole sum whereat they were set, which was afterwards satisfied out of that poor pittance which was allowed me for my maintenance."

As a moralist, Bishop Hall has been entitled the Christian Seneca: his knowledge of the world, depth of thought, and elegance of expression, place him nearer our own times than many of his contempora ries; while he adorned his age by learning, piety, and the uniform exercise of all the Christian graces. It would, indeed, be difficult to name a prelate of more excellent character, or one, of his time, whose talents and sufferings, whose zeal in prosperity, and courage in adversity, deserve more honourable mention. His 'Meditations' have been often reprinted; and his entire works have lately been collected in a very handsome, correct, and well-arranged edition, in 10 vols. 8vo, by the Rev. Josias Pratt.

14.-HOLY CROSS.

This festival was first observed in the year 615, on the following occasion: Cosroes, King of Persia, having plundered Jerusalem, carried away large pieces of the cross which had been left there by the Empress Helena. Heraclius, the emperor, soon afterwards engaged and defeated him, and recovered the cross: but, bringing it back in triumph to Jerusalem, he found the gates shut against him, and heard a voice from heaven saying, that the King of Kings did not enter into that city in so stately a manner, but meek and lowly, and riding upon an ass. The emperor then immediately dismounted from his horse, and walked through the city barefooted, carrying the cross himself. The holy-rood, or cross, when perfectly made, had not only the image of our Saviour extended upon

it, but the figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John, one on each side; in allusion to John xix, 26,• Christ on the cross saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved, standing by.'

17. SAINT LAMBERT.

Lambert was Bishop of Utrecht, in the time of King Pepin I; but, reproving the king's grandson for his irregularities, he was cruelly murdered at the instigation of an abandoned woman. Being canonized, he obtained, at first, only a simple commemoration in the calendar; but Robert, Bishop of Leeds, in a general chapter of the Cistercian order, procured a solemn feast to his honour in the church in 1240.

*18. 304.-ST. FERREOL BEHEADEd.

The anniversary of this saint and martyr is celebrated at Marseilles with great pomp. The houses are decorated with streamers to the very tops; and the public way is crossed by cords, on which are suspended numberless flags of various colours. The ships are always ornamented with flags and streamers. The procession passes under several arches, hung with boughs, before it stops at the altars or restingplaces, which are covered with flowers: every thing concurs to give to this solemnity an air of cheerfulness. The eye dwells with pleasure on the garlands of beautiful flowers, the green boughs, and the emblem of the Divinity, contained in the flags of the procession. The attendants are extremely numerous; every gardener carries his wax taper, ornamented with the most rare and beautiful flowers; he has also the vegetables and fruits with which heaven had blessed his labour, and sometimes he bears some nests of birds.

The butchers also make a part of this procession, clothed in long tunics, and with a hat à la Henri IV, armed with a hatchet or cleaver; they lead a fat ox dressed with garlands and ribands, and with gilt horns, like the ox at the carnival: his back is cover

ed with a carpet, on which sits a pretty child, dressed as St. John the Baptist. During the whole week which precedes the festival, the butchers lead about this animal: they first take him to the police, where they pay a duty, and then their collection begins, which is very productive: every one wishes to have the animal in his house; and it is a prevailing superstition among the people, that they shall have good luck throughout the year if this beast leave any trace of his visit, however dirty it may be. The ox is killed on the day after the festival. The child generally lives but a short time: exhausted by the fatigue which he has suffered, and by the caresses which he has received, and sickened by the sweetmeats with which he has been crammed, he languishes, and often falls a victim.

A number of young girls, clothed in white, their heads covered with veils, adorned with flowers, and girded with ribands of a uniform colour, are next in the procession. Children, habited in different manners, recal the antient Mysteries.' Several young women are dressed as nuns; these are St. Ursula, St. Rosalia, St. Agnes, St. Teresa, &c. The handsomest are clothed as Magdalens; with their hair dishevelled on their lovely faces, they look with an air of contrition on a crucifix which they hold in the hand: others appear in the habit of the Sœurs de la Charité, whose whole time is devoted to the service of the sick. Young boys fill other parts, such as angels, abbots, monks: among whom may be distinguished St. Francis, St. Bruno, St. Anthony, &c. In the midst of the shepherds marches the little St. John, but half-covered with a sheep'sskin, like the picture of his precursor; he leads a lamb decked with ribands, a symbol of the Saviour who offered himself for us, and died for the remission of our sins. The streets are strewed with flowers; numerous choristers carry baskets full of roses and yellow broom, which they throw, on a given signal,